How to Eat More Vegetables

How to Add Some Pizzazz to Your Veggies

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Although I try to eat a well-balanced healthy diet, I often feel a little lacking in the veggie department — do you? Bland foods bore my palate and I find some veggies a little on the dull side. If the lack of flavor is your issue, here are some easy, clever ways to spruce up your veggies for snacks or mealtime.

Keep reading to learn how.

Try a New Technique
If you normally eat your veggies raw, why not try steaming, blanching, roasting, sauteing, or grilling them? Cooking vegetables helps bring out new flavors, and adding in a small dab of oil (like olive or sesame) will please your taste buds as well.

If you're a novice in the kitchen, try roasting some veggies. Here's how: chop red peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, eggplant, asparagus, onions, and sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces, put non-stick baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and a dash of sea salt, and cook for 20 to 35 minutes (depending on the vegetable) at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Just remember that when cooking vegetables, less is always more.

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Spice It Up
Herbs and spices add flair and flavor to veggies. Some variations to try include: steaming broccoli with a pinch of sea salt, a tablespoon of olive oil, and lemon; sprinkling cumin and cinnamon onto squash, sweet potatoes and carrots; adding tarragon and basil to asparagus; using garlic and ginger with leeks; and adding in some basil and garlic or dill and lemon to spinach. Get creative with this as you can experiment with which flavors you enjoy the most! If you can't get your hands on fresh herbs, use dried ones. But keep in mind the flavor of dried herbs is more concentrated, so you'll want to use less.

Sprucing Up Raw Veggies
If you're not a big fan of cooked vegetables, there are plenty of ways to play with crudités. Dips instantly dress up a plain veggie! And there are plenty of healthy dips out there. Make your own hummus with this recipe, or whip up this cooling and low-cal yogurt dip. Go for a new level of sophistication and pimp your celery with almond butter.

You can also make a salad sandwich. Cut up veggies and put them inside a big piece of lettuce. Add a splash of salad dressing or herb-flavored vinegar, and then roll it up like a sandwich. It'll give you a veggie fix, without making you feel like you're a rabbit!